Adjustable lamp support



Feb. 14, 1933. A. A. HENKEL ADJUSTABLE LAMP SUPPORT Original Filed May11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l f/v VEN TOR ADOLPH A. 'HE'NKEL '14 TTYES A. A.HENKEL ADJUSTABLE LAMP SUPPORT Feb. 14, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 11 1927 [N I/EA/ 70/? 140% PH A.HzEA/KEL fiy @(em v Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT. FFICEADOLPH A. HENKEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO HENKEL EDGELITE CQEPORATION, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS .anzrusr nnnLAMP sorrow:

Application filed May 11, 1927, Serial My invention relates to shiftablymounted lighting devices for walls, supports of various kinds, wallframes or wall cabinets or the like equipped with mirrors, and one ofthe broad aspects of my invention resides in providing a simplyconstructed mounting for an electric light fixture whereby it may bequickly and easily shifted along its support to various positions ofadjustment and firmly yet resiliently held in such position and all thewhile maintaining the lighting of the electric lamp. Another one of theobjects of my invention is to provide a lamp mounting for a frame orcabinet wherein the lamp may be bodily moved to various positions ofadjustment relative to, and preferably along the edge of, the mirror,such for instance as an adjustment of the lamp into position on eitherside of the mirror, or adjacent the lower or upper portions of themirror, so that objects located at such relative positions may be betterilluminated and reflected in the mirror. Another object of my inventionis to provide the frame or support or cabinet with a connection to asource of current and with a preferably slotted track extending aboutportions of the mirror margin and adapted to receive a lamp mounting ina manner firmly to hold the lamp in the track in various positions ofadjustment therealong while maintaining the connection to the source ofcurrent.

Another object of my invention resides in adapting my invent-ion to thattype of cabinet which has a hinged door with a mirror mounted on thedoor, and particularly in mounting the bodily shiftable lamp d ectlyupon the door and providing a. flexing current-carrying connection fromthe lamp on the movable door to the source of current on the stationarycabinet body together with means for talzin up slack in the flexibleconnection when the lamp is shifted into various positions of adjustmentwhereby the com nection is maintained substantially taut, and the dangerof pinching it and causing a short circuit is eliminated.

Another object of my invention resides in providing means foreliminating th possibility of crimping the flexible connector at.190,538. Renewed April 5, 1929.

permit the cabinet door to swing to open and closed positions whilemaintaining the con nection from the source of current on the cabinetbody to the lamp on the door and particularly in providing means forpreventing pinching or crimping of the connection I when the door isswung and thereby eliminating any danger of short circuits. A fur therobject is to form this means in such manner as to prevent crimping ofthe connection so that it also functions as a stop to limit the outwardswing of the cabinet door.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an automatically shiftablereel upon which the flexible connection winds or unwinds itself as thelamp is shifted along the track about the mirror.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel construction oflamp mounting for resiliently holding the lamp firmly in outstandingadjusted position in the track while permitting it freely to be movedalong the track and for constructing this mounting so that the flexibleconnection may be attached to the lamp socket and to the source ofcurrent. j

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple type ofshiftable lamp mounting for a frame, wall support, cabinet, or the like,and wherein the lamp is provided with a longitudinal guide or guide-waywhich comprises forming the mounting carrying the electric lamp with tworelatively movable clamping members adapted to engage opposed faces ofthe guide or guide-way together with resilient means for yieldinglyholding the clamping members firmly in position against the walls of theguide or guide way and in such a manner as to hold the lamp mountingfirmly yet shiftably in any adjusted position along the guide orguide-way while, at the same time, maintaining the electric connectionto the lamp mounting from the source of current on the support.

Further objects of my invention reside in the novel details of the lampmounting and clamping means which provide a very simple, effective typeof device.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusalof the following specification when taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a front view of my cabinetwith certain parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional side view thereof.

Figure 3 is a 'plan sectional view.

Figure lis a rear view on line 4-4: of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the lamp mounting; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the winding reel.

In the present application I have illustrated and described my inventionas adapted to a cabinet, preferably a wall cabinet somewhat like thetype used in bathrooms and which are provided with a hinged doorcarrying a mirror. It must be obvious that the invention is equallyapplicable to various types of cabinets and also to wall frames panelsor other supports and also to various "fixtures carrying mirrors. In theillustrated embodiment, the cabinet 2 is shown as provided with theusual body having suitable shelves 4 therein and a door 6 mounted onhinges 8 to swing to open and closed position. The rear or side of thecabinet body proper is formed with an opening 10 through which passeselectrical wiring 12 connected to a source of electrical current. Ipreferably provide the top of the interior of the cabinet with atransverse partition 14 extending horizontally thereacross so as to forma separate chamber or compartment adapted to contain the enteringportion of this electrical conductor and the guard therefor, which ishereinafterdescribed. The front of this compartment is closed by avertically extending partition 16 formed with an opening 18.

In certain other aspects of my invention, it comprises a panel supportor any type of frame, provided with a guide, and herein shown as aslotted guide, wherein there is also provided a lamp mounting carryingan electric lamp which mounting is in turn provided with two clampingmembers or feet, at leastone of which is relatively movable along orwith respect to the mounting, and resilient means preferably interposedbetween the clamping members and operative to maintain the clampingmembers firmly in clamping engagement with the walls of the guide orslotted guide-way whereby firmly to hold the lamp resiliently inadjusted position, yet permitting it to he slid along the guide orguide-ways in a very easy fashion while maintaining the electriccontact, and this construction further includes the arrangement of themounting of the electrical connections and the clamping members andresilient means to provide a very ornamental electric and firefool-proof lamp mounting for the purposes set forth.

The door of the cabinet carries the usual type of mirror, and I mount anelectrical lamp or lamps directly upon the mirror frame of the door sothat the light will be relatively close to a person as he views himselfin the mirror. The lamp is mounted thereon so that it can be bodilyshifted along the margin of the mirror into various positions ofadjustment. In the present instance the lamp may be shifted from aposition about midway of the vertical margin of the mirror downward,thence along the basal margin of the mirror, and thence upward along themargin of the opposite vertical edge of the mirror. This arrangementprovides practically all needed adjustments to enable persons to seethemselves clearly illuminated by the lamp. If desired the lamp may bemounted to be movable entirely around the margin of the mirror, or twolamps may be mounted, one on each side, and moval le along the edges ofthe mirror as above described. Tl e foregoing arrangements permit a tallor short person to see himself or permit a person to see clearly eitherside of his face as in shaving.

To the end of permitting the foregoing ad: justments of the lamp, thedoor front is formed with a preferably metallic frame 20 to receive themirror 42. The edge of the frame 20 when in door closing position fitsinto the flanged edge 24- of the cabinet body as shown clearly in Figure3 of the drawings. At desired points I provide the frame 20 with aguideway herein shown as a slotted track 26 or tracks along the marginof the mirror. For instance in Figure l the track is shown as extendingfrom a point 28 along the vertical side of the mirror, then along thelower side of the mirror, and thence upward along the opposite side ofthe mirror to the point v80. This provides a continuous tracksubstantially about three sides of the mirror. The points 28 and 30 maybe extended upward if desired. This will permit a higher adj ustment ofthe lamp for tall people.

The electrical lamp which fits in and slides along this slotted trackcomprises a tubular mounting 32 having a relatively thick flanged footor clamping member 31- on its inner end and a thread on its outer end.The foot lies within a channelway formed on the inner face of the frameby means of the marginal wall of the frame and a spaced inwardprojecting flange 36 continuous and parallel with the wall of the frame.This way exactly receives the foot 34 so that the tubular sleeve isguided along the track. The outer end of the sleeve 32 has screwedthereon the lamp fitting 38 which is formed with an angular-1y disposedsocket for the lamp. This fitting and the socket are of any desiredconstruction and are hollow to receive the electrical con- CTI 'impelled in one direction. The

nections or wires to the lamp. "llhese wires ass inward through thehollow sleeve 32.

urrounding the sleeve 32 is a coiled spring l0, the inner end of whichengages the flanged end 42 of easing .or shoe ll enclosing the springand sleeve 32. The inner end of this casing 42 comprises a secondclamping member which cooperates with the first clamping member 3% andis shif-table along the tubular mounting 32 by means of the spring tomaintain the clamping members 3% and i2 firmly against the opposed wallsof the slotted guide-way. The outer end of the spring 40 engages seat46' on the near end of the lamp fitting 38, which fitting at this pointis formed with an inward projecting circular flcnge adaptedoverlappingly and telescopingly to receive theouter end of the casing el to permit relative movement between the casing and the lamp mounting.In other words,

since the flange 42 of the casing is firmly backed against the doorframe at the margins of the slot formed by the track and since the outerend of spring 40 presses against the lamp fitting, the entire lampmounting including the flanged foot 34: will be firmly and resilientlypressed outward against the inner wall of the track effectively andfirmly to hold the lamp mounting in adjusted position. This constructioneliminates the necessity of providing exposed connectors for the lampmounting to slide upon and make electrical contact against, and by thesame token permits the use of a flexible connector or wires attaching tothe lamp and passing through the tubular socket and passing into theinterior of the support or mounting.

Means are provided for connecting the source of electrical current inthe cabinet body with the lamp on the swinging door. In the presentinstance I provide flexible electrical connections which comprise theelectrically insulated wires l6, and I pro vide means for preventing thewires from becoming worn, chafied, or pinched during the operation ofshifting the lamp or of opening or closing the cabinet door. This ismost impo tant because if the wires become worn a short circuit willresult with danger of fire. Within the door compartment 1 rotatablymount on the cross brace t8 the reel 50. The reel comprises thestationary shaft '56 which passes through a bearing in the crossbrace,and two spaced circular side plates forming therebetween at theirperipheral portions a circumferential channel. This channel ispreferably formed by inturned portions 52 (Fig. 6) of the side plate. Inaddition I mount a helical spring 5% within the compartment formed bythe plates and attach the inner end of the spring to the stationaryshaft 56 and attach the outer end of the spring by means of a pin to oneof the side plates whereby-the reel will be uniformly flexibleelectr-icalconnections pass from the lamp around the peripheral channelof the reel and are firmly attached to the reel at a portion of thecircumferential channel by means of a shoe 58 pressed into grippingengagement with the flexible connections by means of the screw 60passing through an ear 62 on one of the plates of the reel. The springis arranged to exert a constant pull upon that end of the flexibleconnection which is attached to the lamp mounting so that when the lampis slid along its track to a position farther removed from the axis theflexible electrical conductors will be held taut while at the same timeunwinding from the reel, and if the lamp mounting is moved in its trackcloser to the axis of the reel, the latter will wind the flexibleconnection upon it, thereby taking up any slack in tnat portion 6+1 ofthe flexible connection. That portion "66 of the connection which leadsto the source of current connection in the cabinet passes freely upwardand thence through a substantially tubular, preferably metallic, guideor'guard 68 which, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is pivotally mounted ona pin 70 in the upper portion of the track or way formed by the frame ofthe door. This guard is formed with a lateral hole near the pivotal pinmounting, and is open at its opposite end 1 whereby the flexibleconnection may pass into the guard through the former hole and pass outthrough its open end. This open end is provided with a lateralprojection 72, g which is adapted to abut against a stop formed by thefront wall of the upper compartment. This wall is otherwise providedwith a hole through which the guard projects into the upper cabinetcompartment as shown in Figure 2. This foot or stop 72' limits theoutward swing of the door. The rigid guard forms a means for protectingthe flexible connection during the opening and closing movements of thedoor since the corn nector might be caught or pinched and thereby ashort circuit might be produced.

It will be appreciated that my invention is equally applicable tovarious types of supports including a wall mounting for a mirror insteadof the cabinet in which the door is provided with a mirror, except thatin case of the wall frame or mounting there would be no need for theguard but thereel or its equivalent would be used to take care of thelooseflexible connection when the lamp mounting was being moved alongthe track.

Thus in the various adaptations of my invention, and particularly in itsadaptation to a cabinet I have provided a most advan; tageousconstruction for firmly and resiliently maintaining the lamp illuminatedin its various positions of adjustment, and have provided a simple andinexpensive means for maintaining the electrical connections hidden andfool-proof while at the same time permitting the facile adjustment ofthe lamp along its track and its firm engagement with the track in anydesired position. The reel mechanism also provides a simple andinexpensive means for eliminating the slack in .the flexible connectionand for preventing possible short cireuiting due to wear or injury tothe electrical connection both within the door compartment and at thehinged connections between the cabinet proper and the swingable door.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a wall frame having amirror and a conneetion to a source of current, said frame having atrack along a portion of its margin, a lamp mounted to slide in thetrack and an electrical connection from the source to the lamp andincluding a resilient slack wire take up constructed and arranged topermit the lamp to be bodily shifted along the margin of the mirror fromone side of the mirror across the adjacent side and thence along theside opposite the first named side without breaking the currentconnection.

2. The combination of a cabinet having a connection to a source ofcurrent, a door hinged to the cabinet and provided with a mirror, and alamp mounted on the door and bodily shiftable along the vertical andhorizontal margins of the mirror from one side of the mirror across theadjacent side and thence along the side opposite the first named sideand an electrical connection from the source of current to the lamp andincluding a resilient slack Wire take up adapted to permit the lamp tobe lighted in any of its posi tions of adjustment without crimping thewire.

3. The combination of a support having a connection to a source ofcurrent, a frame hinged to the support, a lamp mounted on the frame andbodily shiftable along the margin of the frame into various positions ofadjustment and a flexible connection from the source to the lamp andmeans for preventing crimping of the flexible connection upon shiftablemovement of the frame.

4. The combination of a cabinet having a connection to a source ofcurrent, a door hinged to the cabinet and provided with a mirror, a lampmounted on the door and bodily shiftable along the margin of the mirrorinto various positions of adjustment, and a flexible connection from thesource to the lamp, a guard for preventing crimping of the flexibleconnection upon opening and closing of the door, said guard serving as astop to limit the opening movement of the door.

5. In combination a frame having a connection to a source of current andhaving a slotted track, a lamp mounting comprising a tubular portionprojecting through the slot of the frame and having a foot engaging theinner face of the frame, a lamp socket connected to the outer portion ofthe tubular portion, a sleeve telescopingly engaging the socket andsurrounding the tubular portion,

and a coiled spring between the sleeve and the tubular portion andnormally urging the socket and foot outwardly to hold the lamp mountingfirmly in various positions of adjustment along the track, and aconnection from the source of current to the lamp and passing throughthe tubular portion.

6. In combination with a cabinet having connection to a source ofcurrent and hav ing a door hinged thereto, a mirror in the door and alamp mounted on the door and bodily shiftable along the marginalportions of the mirror into different positions of adjustment, a rigidtube hingedly mounted on the door adjacent the hinge of the door, saidtube having an aperture adjacent its pivotal connection and having itsopposite end open and a flexible connection from the source of currentpassing through the open end of the tube through the tube and throughthe opening adjacent its pivot and connecting to the lamp mounted on theswingable door whereby to prevent crimping of the connection duringopening and closing of the door.

7. In combination with a cabinet having a connection to a source ofcurrent and provided with a door hinged thereto, a mirror on the door, alamp mounted on the door and bodily shiftable therealong into variouspositions of adjustment relative to the mirror, a rigid guard pivoted tothe door adjacent its hinge axis, and a flexible connector from thesource of current to the lamp, said connector passing through the guardto prevent crimping of the connector during the opening and closing ofthe door.

8. In combination with a cabinet having a connection to a source ofcurrent and provided with a door hinged thereto, a mirror on the door, alamp mounted on the door and bodily shiftable therealong into variouspositions of adjustment relative to the mirror, a rigid guard pivoted tothe door adjacent its hinge axis, and a flexible connector from thesource of current to the lamp, said connector passing through the guardto prevent crimping of the connector during the opening and closing ofthe door, said guard having a lateral projection 011 its free endadapted to contact with a portion of the cabinet to limit the outwardswing of the door.

9. A device of the class described comprising a frame, guide-ways insaid frame presenting intersecting vertical and horizon tal paths, alighting fixture carried by said frame, and means for connecting saidlighting fixture with a source of current, said lighting fixture beingbodily shiftable along the intersecting paths of said frame.

10. In combination, a supporting member having a connection to a sourceof current, said member being provided with a longitudinal guideproviding clamping surfaces, a lamp mounting for adjustment along saidguide, a lamp carried on the outer end of said mounting, means forconstantly connecting the lamp to the source of current on thesupporting member, the inner end of said mounting having a rigidclamping mem ber engaging one portionrof the clamping walls of saidguide, there being a second clamping member operatively associated withrespect to said mounting for engaging other clamping surfaces of saidguide, and means for resiliently pressing said clamping surfaces of themounting against the clamping surfaces of the guide in such a way tomaintain the mounting in firmly adjusted position on the guide, whilepermitting it to be shifted laterally therealong.

11. The combination of a main frame, a member mounted on and shiftablerelative to the main frame, said member being provided with an extendedguide-way therealong, a lamp mounted on said shiftable member and bodilyshiftable along the guideway in the various positions of adjustment,means for slidably and yieldingly holding said lamp in said positions ofadjustment, and a flexible connection from said lamp passing throughsaid shiftable member and to said frame for connection to a source ofcurrent, means associated with the slack in said flexible conductor forprotecting said slack from injury during the shifting movement of thelamp along the guide-way and during the shifting movement of the memberrelative to the main frame.

12. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a support, having anextended slot therealong, said slot including exterior and interiorparallel clamping faces, said interior clamping faces having adjacentangularly disposed guide walls forming longitudinal parallel faces, atubular lamp mounting having a clamping foot formed with parallel sidewalls adapted snugly to fit between the parallel guide walls of the slotand said foot having adjacent clamping faces adapted slidably to engagethe interior clamping faces of the slot, a cooperative clamping memberoperatively associated with said mounting adapted to engage the exteriorclamping faces of the slot, and spring means urging said clampingmembers firmly and slidably to engage the clamping faces of the slot, alamp carried by said mounting and an electric conductor therefrompassing through the hollow mounting.

13. In a wall cabinet, partitions therein forming a shelf receivingsection and forming an enclosed chamber spaced from said shelf receivingsection, a door hinged to the cabinet and adapted to close the shelfsection, a mirror-in said door, said door having a guide-way extendingalong a margin of the mirror, a lamp mounting shiftable along theuide-way, a flexible electric conductor passing through said lampmounting, the rear of the door having a partition to provide internaldoor space, a slack take-up device mounted in said space, about whichthe flexible electric conductor passes, a hollow guard pivotally mountedon said door and passing through registering apertures in the rear doorpartition and in that portion the cabinet wall forming said enclosedchamber in the cabinet, said flexible electric conductor passing fromthe slack take-up device through the hollow guard into the enclosedchamber in the wall cabinet and connecting with a source of current.

14. In a wall cabinet, partitions therein forming a shelf receivingsection and forming an enclosed chamber spaced from said shelf receivingsection, a door hinged to the cabinet and adapted to close the shelfsection, a mirror in said door, said door having a guide-way extendingalong a margin of the mirror, a lamp mounting shiftable along theguide-way, a flexible electric conductor passing through said lampmounting, the rear of the door having a partition to provide an internaldoor space, a slack take-up device mounted in said space, about whichthe flexible electric conductor passes, a hollow guard pivotally mountedon said door and passing through registering apertures in the rear doorpartition and in that portion of the cabinet wall forming said enclosedchamber in the cabinet, said flexible electric conductor passing fromthe slack take-up device through the hollow guard into the enclosedchamber in the wall cabinet and connecting with a source of current, theinner end of said hollow guard being formed with a stop member tocontact the wall of the cabinet whereby to limit the outward swing ofthe door.

15. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a support having anextended guide-way, an electric lamp socket adapted to receive anelectric lamp, a tubular mounting on which the socket is mounted, and anelectric conductor for the socket passing through the tubular mounting,said tubular mounting rigidly carrying a clamping member engaging aportion of the guide-way to prevent the member and mounting fromturning, a cooperative clamping member engaging another portion of theguide-way, said first clamping member being shiftable relatively and ina direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular mounting,and resilient means for normally urging said clamping members yieldinglyto hold the mounting in adjustably shiftable position with respect tothe guideway.

16. The combination of a wall cabinet having a door hinged theretoadapted to close the front of said cabinet, a mirror on said door, anextended guide-way disposed on said door relative to the margin of themirror,

1 a lamp mounting movable along said guideway and means for holding saidmounting in any shifted position, and a flexible conductor passingthrough said mounting, and a guard pivotally carried by said door and aextending inwardly thereof into said cabinet,

said flexible conductor passing through said guard.

17. A cabinet comprising a sheet metal casing providing side walls, aback wall, and a front wall having a forwardly facing mirror, avertically extendin conductor compartment formed in said ca inet behindthe mirror, a horizontally extending conductor compartment formed insaid cabinet behind W said mirror, said cabinet being formed with meansforming an aperture communicating from said horizontal compartment withthe outside of the cabinet, said cabinet having an elongated slotopening into the vertically extending compartment, a light brackethaving an end slidably supported through said slot, said bracketextending to a position outside of the cabinet to illuminate the mirror,a conductor extending through said bracket and into the verticallyextending conductor compartment, thence into the horizontally extendingconductor compartment, whereby the same may be connected with anexternal source of light producing medium through the opening of thehorizontally extending conductor compartment.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ADOLPH A. HENKEL.

